*activates remote screen* Hello there. Christoph Allen Blair, Lt JG, UN Spacy, officially a member of the AGGF. Pleasure to meet you. Sorry, can't really visit, I was put in quarantine after my last , ummm.... 'outbreak'. Now here's my rule kid, and listen well. Don't bother me when I'm busy, or you'll get a Voltekka to the face. And no touching my Grungrust Type - III. Unless we left my baby somewhere when I was gone.

Meanwhile, Jaybee and Shara are getting settled into the sim, having RE-established who gets Buster Machine 1.

Oh, quit whining. BM2 is a fine machine.

"But it's not the one that's in control once they combine."

Exactly. Jaybee grins like a madman...

Now let's get this set up... I'm goin' all the way here.Computer, load Buster Machine 1 unlimited for me and Buster Machine 2 unlimited for Shara. Battlefield consists of one Zentradi fleet.

Computer: Please specify fleet class.

A Fulbtzs-Berrentzs-class flagship with full accompaniment.

Shara: A Fullbtzs-Berrentzs fleet?

Aesthetics, mainly. Never cared for the other style.

"That's not what I mean. One Gunbuster against a main fleet?

It IS a tad unfair...

"You THINK?"

But the system can't render TWO fleets, so it'll have to do.

"I... but... huh?"

All right. I know you people are watching. At least one of you always is. So listen up.

You've all seen what the Gunbuster can do with a limiter, most of you in person.

Now you get to see what it can do without one.

I gather BM2 will be offline for a week or so while they do the fix on it's power system, so we're holding off for a quiet period before we start. Don't try lifting the limiter until it's been done. It's for our sake as much as your's.

"Hey, is it just me, or do these cockpit systems look familiar?"

They do, don't they... I think... lemme see something. Computer, combine BM1 and BM2....Yeah, get both of us in the same place and this is DEFINITELY-"based on the Gunstar cockpit..."

Well, at least we have prior experience. And that was a layout that worked well.

Both of them shout, as they manipulate the controls.SUPER! INAZUMA! KIIIIIICK!

As the Gunbuster drops through the fleet, explosions trail behind it. Mecha of all varieties are swept away like so much dust. Several hundred larger ships rip apart and detonate in the overbuilt machine's wake.

Well, that was a nice way to start the sim. I'm going for that group at 8 o'clock next.

An energy ball forms in the Gunbuster's left hand as a large pole extends out of the forearm and lands in the right hand.

BUSTER HOME RUN!

Energy fields collide as the bat strikes the energy ball, the interference sending a crack through the comm speakers. The energy ball flies out, and annihilates the strike fleet.

"Well, I can't argue with results, but... "Shara tries to keep from laughing at the image just presented of a quarter-kilometerl mech playing baseball.

So... wanna finish this fast, or keep playing?

"Let's go for the quick kill. I wanna see if you can pull it off. No lock. Do it on manual."

You doubt me, milady?

"No, just having some fun. I think this mech might be bad for my mindset."

Yeah, I'm not sure what I'd do if you started treating combat with the same levity as everyone else around here. Keep it to the sim. Jaybee takes a deep breath, then shouts as loud as possible.BUSTER! BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And a purple ray lances out of the head, blowing ships aside as if they were nothing. It lances through the mothership, and a quick jerk of Jaybee's head sends the beam scything upward, cutting it in two. A massive explosion erupts, and he whips the beam to the side to take out another 800 or so ships before they all fold out.

The two pilots sit in silence for a minute or so. Shara speaks first, just barely above a whisper."De culture... such power...."

Y'know, commander, perhaps it would be better if I just piloted my Type-3. Not transform into a Tekkaman.... and blow up half the infirmary.... like I did last time. Can I come out out of quarantine please? It's so boring, and the only other patient is a computer AI who barely even talks to me. I get the feeling Fuyume hates me, Der.

Jaybee ejects a spent energy clip out of his sidearm and inserts a fresh one.

74% on the rifle range? I really AM out of practice.

Jaybee sighs as he waits for the range to reset.

Maybe I'm just distracted. I can't think of a time I've scored below 87 since I got my SAL-9.After actually USING the Gunbuster... I wish I'd never gone back to Earth. I don't want to know what it was built for.

The range resets, and Jaybee attacks it with a vengeance, venting all his anger, frustration, and terror on the targets.

"So that's the power of the Buster Machines, huh? No wonder they're considered to be among humankind's most powerful weapons. Still, it's a damn good thing we're using the limiter, or I doubt it'd be as effective in smaller skirmishes.

"So that's the power of the Buster Machines, huh? No wonder they're considered to be among humankind's most powerful weapons. Still, it's a damn good thing we're using the limiter, or I doubt it'd be as effective in smaller skirmishes.

The big thing I'd worry about without the limiter is collateral damage. Not a huge concern in space, but on Earth... we could do some MAJOR damage purely on accident.

Hell, even with the limiter, it can blow multiple Destroys away with a single shot.

Of course, until they get that whole vanishing trooper bug fixed, it's a moot point. Lifting the limiter right now would be tantamount to suicide.

(OoC: Just to bring you up to speed, the Buster Machines were developed in secret. Me, Sume Gai, and Derek are the only 3 AGGF members that know what it was built for.

We're giving it it's first taste of real combat to generate test data, but it's not supposed to be a well-known mech. )

"Of course. I know I'm not supposed to know those things even exist, and I only do know because I lived on a military base and accessed files on dad's computer that I wasn't really supposed to. It had data on most of the mechs in your inventory, including the 008X and Gunbuster. It did NOT, however, say why it was created, though as we all know, the only reason something frightening is made around here is because of something even more frightening already in existence. Kinda reminds me of how the entire Macross 7 fleet had to rely on Basara and his childishness to save them from the Protodeviln, after their ways failed. Still, I wouldn't be shocked if we encounter Supervision Army remnants or rogue Varuta troops. No guarantee that they've been released from their brainwashing, and the Zentrans are still active in plenty of sectors, including the one I was in before weird problems landed me back here. Oh, and if you don't mind, I'd like to contact my dad when we reach a EFA base, if only to curse him out and let him know that I'm sticking with you guys. I can also help with maintaining and customizing some of the mechs, and can use anything equipped with a T-link system, and would like to see about having one installed into that Huckebein 008X, if only to help me use that Black Hole Cluster weapon.

"I was always told that there was a difference between psychodrivers and Newtypes. If that's not the case, then I suppose I would be a Newtype, even though I've lived most of my life on Earth. I haven't practiced much with them, but I should be able to use the T-link. I never managed to use biosensors, psycommus, or other Newtype-specific systems just yet, but that's more likely due to weakness and lack of opportunity."

OOC: Had no way of knowing that Newtypes and Psychodrivers were the same. Thanks for the memo.

I may have to put in a call to my "friends" and see what's going on, though.I know I haven't been reporting on our activities in great detail.

...

You think this has anything to do with me sneaking into Global's retirement villa during my little vacation on Earth? Pretty sure I scorched a bridge or two there...

Or maybe with our little rampage in Canada... that bit of chaos with the Gunbuster probably cheesed off a few people that want their top-secret mech to stay secret....

Could possibly related to that time we... ...You know what? After due consideration, I have to say... if I were UN Spacey brass, I'd be watching us like a hawk too. Or Federation brass. Or any other group, public or private.

Anyways.... it's probably time for a round of security sweeps. Especially with the hanger crew. I've seen a lot of new faces over there lately. I'm pretty sure a few of them came with the Buster Machines, and it's probably time we figured out where their allegiance lies.

"It didn't say who had those mechs, just had the names and specs. Besides, he does practice excellent file security, but I'm the techie who set his computer up for him, and I set up some back doors. Information is valuable, and I make sure I'm quite wealthy in that department whenever I can. I didn't have any data on those enemies, though, nor could I really figure out much about anything with too much EOT in it. Still, don't bother with my dad. He's a dumbass middle-manager who doesn't know his head from his balls most of the time. I'd also like to see if we could acquire anything else from TLI, if only to improve our stock of Super Robots and maybe even get more spare parts. I'd hate to imagine what would happen if we have to give up one of our better mechs simply because we can't fix it."